Clutch.



M. W. THOMPSON.

CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1910 1}001,'708. Patented Aug. 29,1011

w TNESSES.

To all whom it may concern:

CL TCH.

2 Application filed November 5. 1910. Serial No. 590,792.

State .of Indiana,-ln1ve invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches, of i which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to clutch devices-and has especial reference to appliances adapted to differentiate the relative movement of c0- 1 operating rotary members.

' ing the entrance of dust, or dirt.

The chief objects of the improvements which form the subject matter of this application for patent are;to provide a sii'nple-etl'ective and reliable clutch mechanism, that will be automatic in its action and, havin g" few. parts, can be manufactured economically.

Another important feature of my invention liesjin the compactness of the appliance; which especially adapts it for use upon automobiles. i

A further object is to provide a closely fitting casing'for the working parts, which is not only neat in'appearance but affords a protection to the clutch members, preventln the application of this invention to the dill'erentiation of the .movements of the wheels of a vehicle mounted upon the same axle, as demonstrated hereinafter, not only is the positiveness of the automatic movements of great utility, but especially the quickness of ill, act-ion, a very slightfmovement of the operative parts sutlicingto en gage or release the locking members.

l accomplish the desired objects above enumerated, audolhers of practical benefit by employing the mechanical construction illustrated in vthe accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, the important details of the mechanism'and manner of assembling and applying the apparatusbeing disclosed in the following views Figure 1 is a sectional view of a. pair of wheels mounted upon an axle to which my improved dilt'ereut'ial clutch mechanism is applied; Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line AA of Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a. view showing the clutch meehanisi'n in operative position, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sec tion, enlarged, taken on the line a:a; of Fig. 2.

llel'erring to the'details of the drawing, the numeral 5 indieatesan automobile. axle,

.MARTIN W. THOMPSON, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA.-

having traction wheels 6 mounted loosely Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

upon the, opposite ends, and retaining col- 7 lars 7 secured outside the wheels. The said axle 1s driven in the usual way, the co1m ec tion to the motor (not shown) being made" by means of a shaft 8, carrying a miter pinion Qineshing with a gear 10 keyed upon the axle.

Upon the inner face of each wheel iscon-' centrically mounted a circular clutch plate 11,,secured by bolts or screws 12, to the wheel web 13. The said plate is furnished with a peripheral flange 14 and a centralhub 15. F tting to turn within thesaid flange and bearing against the inner end of the disk hub 15 IS adisk 16, furnished with a hub 17 secured to the axle by' a bolt or pin 18." \Vhen the parts are assembled as shown in the drawing there will be an' an nular space or recess 19 between the HPPI'OXP mated faces of the plate and disk, and in this space are mounted 't-wo cooperating clutch arms 20, arranged upon opposite sides of the center.- These arms are somewhat curved to conform to the shape of theinclosing walls, and lie flat against the faces of theclutch plate and disk being loosely fitted so as to slide easily between them. The arms 20 taper from one end to the other, the larger end having a lug or flange 21 projecting at a right angle to form a grip-1.

ping 'jaw' the action of which will be explained. The opposite smaller endof eaclr arm is furnished with a circular head 22. The said arms are coupled together by a link plate 24, having a circular notch 25 at each end adapted to receive the heads 22 which are loosely fitted therein formingliinges which permit the arms 20 to have'a desirable amount of play. The said link plate 24 is retained in place by a stop-pin 26, fixed inthe disk 16 and projecting into a slot 27 in said link, allowing the latter to have a. limited movement between the plate The said link is held under a 28 one end of 1 11 and disk 16. tension by means of a spring which isattached to a. lug 29 projecting from the link,'and the other fastened to a pin 30 secured to the plate 11. The face of the clutch plate is provided with an annular concentric groove 31, which is cn-' gaged by the flanges or jaws 21, on the arms 20. The action of the spring 28 is to hold the link 24 in the intermediate position shown inFig. 2 where "he link is free to be moved thereby, thus throwing the clutch 15 causing the jaws 21 to bind, a

arms to their inoperative position. When. the link is thrown in either direction by the pin 26, the tendency of the spring will be to swing the link on the said pin as acenter 5 and thus cause the jaws to bind in the groove 81. j v

It will be readily seen that when thewheels are revolved in either direction, independently of the axle there will be no elleetupon the clutch, as the spring 28 will swing that biith wheels will revolve at substantially the same rate. Whenever the angle of inclination of the axle relative to the line of travel is changed as in turning a corner or moving in a circle, the outer wheel will tend to turn faster than the inner since it travels intermediate position, shown in Fig. 2, so

that the wheel will have an independent movement. I As soon as its rate of motion becomes less than that of the axle, the pin 26 will engage the end of its slot 27, and cause the clutch. jaws to again bind in the groove,

operatively locking the wheel and axle together as before.

Although I have shown my improved clutch as applied to automobile running gear, I do not wish to limit the device to such use, as it equally applicable wherever the motion oi a rotating member is to be interruptedly applied to a movable part,

Ilaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. in a clutch, the combination with a ro tatable member having a concentric groove, of a pair of clutch members adjacent said plate, jaws on said nien'ibers adapted to 'lrictionally engage the walls of said groove, a

link pivotally connecting said clutch incinliers, a spring adapted to retain the said nieinl'iers in inoperative position, and means i'oi operating said jaws, said means com prising a rotating nnimlier, and a. pro ection thereon engaging said link.

2. Tu a clutch, the combination with a rotatable plate having a concentric groove in i one lateral face, of a pair of clutch arms,

jaws on said arms engaging said groove, a link )ivotall connectin said arms a s )i'ing i 1 adapted to retain said arms in inoperative on said rotary member engagii'ig a slot in said link.

3. In a clutch, the combination with a rotatable plate having a concentric groove in one lateral face, of a rotary disk mounted concentric with said plate, a pair of clutch members ar 'anged between said plate and disk, jaws on said members engaging said V groove, a link connecting said arms, a spring connecting said; link with a fixed point on said plate, and a pin on said disk engaging a slot in said link.

l. In a clutch, the combination with a 1'0- one lateral face, of a rotary disk mounted concentric with said plate, a pair of clutch disk upon opposite sides of the axis, jaws on the ends of said members and engaging said groove, a link connecting the opposite ends of said arms, a lug on said rotary disk ongaging 'a-slot in said link, and a spring at tached at one. end to said link intermediate the ends, and having the other end seemed to. the rotatable plate. 1 5

5. 111 a clutch, the combination with a shaft, and a circular plate mounted to rotate on said sliait, said plate having a concentric groove formed in one lateral face, a peripheral flange on said plate, a disk fixed on said shaft and fitting within said flange, a pair of clutch arms arranged upon opposite sides of the axis between said plate and 'disk, a link pivotally connecting the ends (it said arms, jaws on said arms projecting into said groove,- andadapted to trictionally (fligagel the walls of the groove, a spring for the link adapted to retain the jaws in inoperative position, and iii-cans for engaging said jaws, said engaging means consisting of a pin fixed in said disk and engaging a slot in said link. 4 in testimony 'whereot I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ill-Alt JN' \V. 'll lOMlSON.

it nesses:

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Jaoon Linn.

l position, a rotary member mounted concentrically with said rotatable plate, and a lug.

tatable plate having a concentric groove in members arranged between said plate and 

